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SPRING 2008 FRESHMAN SEMINARS
The School of Biological Sciences also offers freshman seminars during spring quarter. For more information, please visit http://freshmanseminars.bio.uci.edu/. Please note that students may take a maximum of three University Studies freshman seminars so long as subjects vary.
CLAIRE TREVOR SCHOOL OF THE ARTS I Am A Camera Stephen Barker, DRAMA W 11-11:50 am, Mesa Court Housing Complex, Community Center Classroom Course Code 87500 NOTE: Professor Barker's seminar will be held in the Mesa Court Housing. Please be aware that your travel time will be greater than 10 minutes if you are coming from Central Campus. For a map of Mesa Court, please go to http://www.housing.uci.edu/mc/map.asp. What is an “identity”? Who am “I”? Am I what I see? Is this only a metaphor? Since Plato, “our” identity has been linked to “our” visual experience—to the eye? It has only been in the 19th century (with the “discovery” of the unconscious) and the 20th century (with the “final victory” of the eye, of vision, of the metaphor of “seeing;”) that we have come to accept the idea of subjectivity as a function of our visual sense of self. Are the other senses really secondary? And why do we (really) think so? The course explores the nature of a/your personal existence in visual (i.e. aesthetic) terms, following Nietzsche’s idea that “we have art lest we perish of the truth.” We will read some, discuss a lot, and take pictures. I.e., the course is about how you are and are not what you see yourself as being. Thesis: you are distance, a camera. Stephen Barker, Ph.D., teaches theory and criticism, among numerous other things, in the Drama department, the School of the Arts, and the Humanities. He has published widely on literary and aesthetic theory and philosophy, as well as on figures including Nietzsche, Freud, Beckett, Joyce, and Derrida. Rock Comes of Age David Brodbeck, MUSIC Th 12-12:50 pm, Mesa Court Housing Complex, Community Center Classroom Course Code 87502 NOTE: Professor Brodbeck's seminar will be held in the Mesa Court Housing. Please be aware that your travel time will be greater than 10 minutes if you are coming from Central Campus. For a map of Mesa Court, please go to http://www.housing.uci.edu/mc/map.asp. It can be argued that 1966 is the year in which rock and roll became Rock. With that in mind, this course explores several watershed recordings of the time--including albums by the Beatles (Revolver), the Beach Boys (Pet Sounds), the Byrds (Fifth Dimension), and Bob Dylan (Blonde on Blonde)--in terms of the turbulent social and historical context in which they were produced. David Brodbeck is Chair and Professor of Music. He holds the Ph.D. degree from the University of Pennsylvania and has previously taught at the University of Southern California and the University of Pittsburgh. His research interests and publications center on Central European music of the 18th through early 20h centuries and Anglo-American popular music since the end of the Second World War. He recently taught a course in the history of rock and roll at UCI's summer program in Glion, Switzerland. Drawing for Absolute Beginners! Cliff Faulkner, DRAMA M 10:30-11:20 am, Mesa Court Housing Complex, Community Center Classroom Course Code 87533 NOTE: Professor Faulkner’s seminar will be held in the Mesa Court Housing. Please be aware that your travel time will be greater than 10 minutes if you are coming from Central Campus. For a map of Mesa Court, please go to http://www.housing.uci.edu/mc/map.asp. It's true. ANYONE can draw, including YOU! Drawing is really just coordinating your hands and your eyes, and all it takes is practice. Together we'll try a variety of drawing exercises to help you find the artist within. You'll be amazed at what you accomplish! Cliff Faulkner is an award-winning scene designer for the theater. His other professional work includes illustration and art direction work for Disneyland, Universal Studios, and live special events. Currently he is exploring non-invasive coaching as a means to bring out the drawer in each of us. Myths of Transformation Rebeca Helfer, ENGLISH Tu 5-5:50 pm, PSCB 210 Course Code 87507 This seminar considers one of the most important collections of myths in antiquity, and some of the most influential poetry of all time, Ovid’s Metamorphoses. These fascinating tales of gods and heroes – in and out of love, at war and at peace – offer a window into the classical world as well as a glimpse at our own. Each week we will read a different story, focusing on the physical and psychological elements of change, transformation, by which Ovid links these distinct tales. Professor Rebeca Helfer teaches Renaissance English literature. So, You Want To Be A STAR? Donald Hill, DRAMA Th 4-4:50 pm, Mesa Court Housing Complex, Community Center Classroom Course Code 87508 NOTE: Professor Hill’s seminar will be held in the Mesa Court Housing. Please be aware that your travel time will be greater than 10 minutes if you are coming from Central Campus. For a map of Mesa Court, please go to http://www.housing.uci.edu/mc/map.asp. Explore what kind of STAR you want to be in your life. Learn the art of goal setting, creating affirmations and finding a mentor. Discover how powerful you can become one you move beyond self-doubt. Don Hill is the director of production and head of stage management for the Drama Department in the Claire Trevor School of the Arts. In a 33 year career that spans both coasts, Mr. Hill has worked professionally as an actor, director, producer and union negotiator. He brings to his class room real life experience and understanding of how the entertainment industry works. Exotica and Erotica: Gender and Asian Performance Daphne Lei, DRAMA Tu 11-11:50am, Mesa Court Housing Complex, Community Center Classroom Course Code 87510 NOTE: Professor Lei’s seminar will be held in the Mesa Court Housing. Please be aware that your travel time will be greater than 10 minutes if you are coming from Central Campus. For a map of Mesa Court, please go to http://www.housing.uci.edu/mc/map.asp. By examining the exotic and often erotic representations of Asians in performance, this class focuses on gender, cultural, political and artistic issues related to Asian and Asian American performance. Topics include Asian American theatre, Chinese opera, film and performance art. Daphne Lei is associate professor in Drama, specializing in Asian and Asian American theatre, gender theory and intercultural performance. Her upcoming book Operatic China: Staging Chinese Identity Across the Pacific is a study of Chinese opera and identity performance. Hollywood's Portrayal of the Artist Alan Terricciano, DANCE M 7:30-8:50 pm, MM 116 Course Code 87529 This seminar examines the ways that Hollywood portrays artists as dramatic characters. The focus of the course will be on the way in which these portrayals perpetuate the mythology of the artist as outsider hero, and how the notion of genius has become embedded in popular culture. Educated at Yale University and the Eastman School of Music, Alan Terricciano is a Professor and chair of the Dance department in the Claire Trevor School of the Arts, University of California, Irvine. As both a composer for choreography, and as a pianist, Mr. Terricciano has received numerous commissions and awards. He was recently named Orange County’s 2005 Outstanding Individual Artist of the Year by the organization Arts Orange County. He is also the 2006-7 recipient of UCI’s Distinguished Mid-Career Faculty Award for Service. Acting in Life: Building Confidence in Public Speaking Philip Thompson, DRAMA Tu 1-1:50 pm, HH 161 Course Code 87530 In this seminar, students will explore techniques of actor training as applied to public speaking and presentation skills. Philip Thompson is the Head of the MFA program in Acting. He works as a dialect and text coach for professional theatres as well as working privately with executives on presentation technique. He is currently the president of the Voice and Speech Trainers Association. SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES Biology of Dietary Supplements Shin Lin, DEVELOPMENTAL AND CELL BIOLOGY Th 2-2:50 pm, 4248 McGaugh Hall Course Code 87527 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration classifies herbal medicine, special animal products, minerals and vitamins as dietary supplements. This course emphasizes the latest basic and clinical research on how these supplements can enhance general health and fight specific diseases. Dr. Lin has been working on the molecular and cellular action of natural products for many years. He is currently a member of the Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine at UCI, an editorial board member for the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine and for the journal Chinese Medicine, and a member of the National Advisory Council on Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health. PAUL MERAGE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Decision Making Philip Bromiley, MANAGEMENT Tu 2-3:50 pm, 223 Merage School of Business Course Code 87503 Note: Dr. Bromiley’s seminar will meet weeks 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 of the quarter for 2-hour sessions. How do decisions get made in organizations? This seminar introduces students to a wide variety of perspectives on individual and organizational decision making. Philip Bromiley is one of the nation’s most highly recognized senior faculty members in strategy. He joined the Merage School in Fall 2005. Bromiley has written numerous articles and two books, including Behavioral Foundations of Strategic Management in 2004. Map or Maze? Understanding Corporate Financial Statements Charles Shi, MANAGEMENT W 3-4:50 pm, 120 Multipurpose Academic and Administrative Building Course Code 87517 Note: Dr. Shi’s seminar will meet for five weeks of the quarter for 2-hour sessions. Class meetings will be held only during weeks 6-10. The date of the first class meeting will be May 7. Recent waves of high profile accounting scandals such as Enron and Worldcom have taught everyone how important accounting is to the proper functioning of capital markets. This seminar introduces students to corporate financial statements that a business enterprise employs to describe and measure its business activities and communicate its financial performance to external users. As a map, financial statements have the capability of presenting clear presentations of a firm’s financial health. As a maze, the sheer quantity of information in financial statements coupled with potential managerial manipulation of data creates mazelike interferences in financial statements. The primary objective of this seminar is to equip students with key accounting concepts, conventions, and analytical skills needed to become sophisticated and intelligent users of financial information by recognizing managerial reporting incentives to better utilize reported accounting information for informed decision making. This course is best suited to students intending to purse business major. Dr. Shi received his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. His key research areas include: measurement and valuation of intangible assets, the role of accounting information in securities (stock and bond) valuations,and the economic consequences of accounting disclosure. Can you Beat the Stock Market? Siew Hong Teoh, MANAGEMENT W 9:30 am - 11:20 am, 116 Merage School of Business Course Code 87519 Note: Dr. Teoh’s seminar will meet for five weeks of the quarter for 2-hour sessions. Class meetings will be held only during weeks 6-10. The date of the first class meeting will be May 7. We will study the idea of stock market informational efficiency, evidence that future stock returns can be predicted, and implications for investing in the capital markets and managerial behavior. Professor Teoh's work on earnings management has been praised by scholars in accounting and finance for the important finding that the market seems not to efficiently impound management's actions into security prices. She has served on the faculty at UCLA, University of Michigan, and The Ohio State University. She has published widely in leading journals in Accounting, Finance, and Economics. They include The Accounting Review, Journal of Accounting Research, Journal of Accounting and Economics, Journal of Finance, Journal of Financial Economics, Review of Financial Studies, and the Rand Journal of Economics. Dr. Teoh was also recently awarded the Moskowitz Prize for best paper on socially responsible investing from the Social Investment Forum. HENRY SAMUELI SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING The Link between Energy and the Environment Donald Dabdub, MECHANICAL & AEROSPACE ENGINEERING F 2-2:50 pm, 1420 Bren Hall Course Code 87531 Finding new and clean sources of energy is one of the biggest scientific and engineering problems today. This course will present recent advances in energy generation and distribution such as fuel cells and hydrogen technology. In addition, it will discuss in depth the potential impacts to air quality. Donald Dabdub is a Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Professor, Advanced Power and Energy Program at the University of California, Irvine. He completed his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology in 1995. He presented the Schiesser distinguished lecture at Lehigh University. Furthermore, he was awarded the Prometheus Teaching award for excellence at the University of California, Irvine. Outside of academia, Dr. Dabdub has served as advisor to various state and federal agencies including: The Air Resources Board of California, the California Energy Commission, John Wayne Airport, Lake Tahoe Science Consortium and the U.S. Department of Defense. COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES Educating Instead of Medicating in Public Health Zuzana Bic, PUBLIC HEALTH F 10-10:50 am, SSL 122 Course Code 87532 The goal of the seminar is to learn how to think healthy and increase the level of health literacy. Students will enjoy reading and discussing health topics that address many issues in which they are interested in or are involved with. This seminar will transition students from passive, memorization-type learning, to an active, analytical and critical learning style with practical application for personal and public health. Dr. Zuzana Bic, has Doctorate degrees in both Public Health and Medicine. She is the author of the book No More Headaches, No More Migraines. Dr. Bic studies the impact and application of “lifestyle medicine” (nutrition, physical activity, stress management) on slowing the process of aging and developing of other chronic diseases (headaches, diabetes II, cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia /chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, cancer, depression, drug abuse, and others.). She is also working to develop health literacy programs for the K-12 curriculum and for the general public and is an advisor for the Students’ Public Health Association at UCI (see http://ucipublichealth.googlepages.com). Practical Nutrition for College Students Frances Jurnak, PHYSIOLOGY Tu 1-1:50 pm, Middle Earth Housing Complex, Gandalf’s Classroom B Course Code 87509 NOTE: Professor Jurnak's seminar will be held in Middle Earth Housing. Please be aware that your travel time will be greater than 10 minutes if you are coming from Mesa Court or the School of the Arts. For a map of Middle Earth, please go to http://www.housing.uci.edu/me/map.asp. Course will focus on the scientific basis for genetic individuality, metabolic role of vitamins and minerals, diet fads, exercise and muscle building fads, improvement in mental acuity, methods to mitigate the negative effects of alcohol on the body, staying younger longer, and lowering the risk for cancer. Frances Jurnak is a Professor of Physiology and Biophysics in the School of Medicine. Her research specialty is structural and functional biochemistry, with strong personal interest in nutritional biochemistry. Dr. Jurnak has taught nutrition for two years and has given numerous seminars on the topics presented in class. Environment and Society Oladele Ogunseitan, PUBLIC HEALTH F 12.00-12:50 pm, 126 Social Ecology I Course Code 87512 Environmental problems have become more complex and intractable as the scope of scientific understanding of nature widens, and the demands of human-dominated systems increase. Uncertainties about the future outcome of current interactions between human societies and the environment are also increasing. This course introduces students to the theoretical and practical underpinnings of research in the nexus of environmental quality, human health, societal demands, and policy responses. Case studies are used to demonstrate the importance of interdisciplinary research in crafting sustainable solutions to contemporary environmental problems. Dr. Ogunseitan is a Professor of Public Health, and Professor of Social Ecology and directs the undergraduate degrees in public health (B.A. Public Health Policy, and B.S. Public Health Science). He also directs the research Program in Industrial Ecology and is an environmental health scientist Sex, Race and Age: Human Ecology of Health Sharon Stern, PUBLIC HEALTH Tu 11-11:50 pm, 1422 Bren Hall Course Code 87518 Have you ever wondered why Asians get flushed faces after drinking alcohol, why Blacks have more hypertension, why girls get drunk and addicted to nicotine faster than males, why Blacks and Middle Easterners have higher incidences of anemias, why Caucasians can digest milk sugar better than Blacks or Asians, why dark skin color predominates near the equator? You will explore how these health conditions are related to sex and race and survival in a discussion, multi-discipline oriented, course. Dr. Stern earned a PhD in biology and has taught in the Department of Environmental Health, Science, and Policy in Social Ecology for the last 17 years before moving to Public Health. She enjoys teaching and students, and has won many teaching awards at UCI. SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES The Problems of Philosophy Ermanno Bencivenga, PHILOSOPHY Tu 1-1:50 pm, 233 Humanities Office Building 2 Course Code 87501 Bertrand Russell is one of three philosophers who won the Nobel Prize (for Literature). He was a prolific author, able to tackle the most intricate issues as well as to provide clear introductions to philosophy for the lay people. His Problems of Philosophy is the best such introduction he wrote, and one of the best introductions available for those wanting to understand what philosophy is. At UCI since 1979, Dr. Bencivenga is the author of 32 books and over 70 scholarly articles. He is the winner of five teaching awards and is the founding editor of an international philosophy journal and of a book series. Food and Belonging, Language and Home: South Asian American Immigrants Ketu Katrak, ASIAN AMERICAN STUDIES Th 2-2:50 pm, SSL 105 Course Code 87525 This seminar explores the connections between food. speaking native languages and home for immigrants. Food and language function as metaphor of belonging. Immigrants nostalgically recreate their homelands via food. Food also marks their differences from mainstream communities in the US. Immigrants need to negotiate their use of native languages with the dominance of English. Ketu H. Katrak is Professor of Humanities, affiliated to the Departments of English & Comparative Literature. Her research and teaching areas include Asian American and Diasporic Literature, Women Writers and Postcolonial Theory. She is the author of Politics of the Female Body: Postcolonial Women Writers (Rutgers UP, 2006), among other publications. How to Succeed at Second-Language Learning for a Globalized World Glenn Levine, GERMAN Tu 1-1:50m, 400D Murray Krieger Hall Course Code 87535 Learning a second or foreign language is admittedly one of the hardest things an adult can do. Yet in today’s “globalized” world, deep knowledge of and skills in at least one language other than English is not only advisable, it is fast becoming a necessity for professional and social life. The problem for adults is, of course, that second-language learning is an arduous, lengthy process, and more often than not people appear to fail at it. You may be one of the millions of Americans who say, “I had four years of _____ in high school and can’t speak a word!” Or you may be a “heritage” speaker of the language other than English but feel that your speaking or writing skills are too deficient to be of real use in academic, social or business interactions. In this seminar we’ll explore the many ways that you as a university-level language student can become truly bilingual and bicultural in a new language (or multiple new languages). We’ll discuss ways to select the right language(s) for you, and how to approach learning about the new culture and its people. On the practical side, we’ll learn many tried-and-true learning and study strategies, ways of making the most of university resources and digital technologies toward succeeding at one of the most important endeavors of your life. Professor Levine is an applied linguist. His research deals with how adults learn second languages in different situations, such as in the classroom and through study abroad. He teaches courses on bilingualism, second-language acquisition, language curriculum and teaching methods. Music in the Era of Civil Rights Sharon Salinger, HISTORY Michael Drake Tu 2-2:50 pm, Aldrich Hall, Room 501 Course Code 87536 In this course, students will read about, listen to, and analyze the lyrics of the songs that energized the civil rights and anti-war moments in the 1950s, through 1970s. Sharon Salinger is Dean of Undergraduate Education and a professor of History. Michael Drake is Chancellor of UCI. He arrived at UCI in the fall of 2005 from his position as Vice President for Health Sciences at the UC Office of the President. An Existentialist Idea of "Dwelling, Building and Thinking" Martin Schwab, PHILOSOPHY Th 1-1:50 pm, Mesa Court Housing Complex, Community Center Classroom Course Code 87534 NOTE: Professor Schwab’s seminar will be held in the Mesa Court Housing. Please be aware that your travel time will be greater than 10 minutes if you are coming from Central Campus. For a map of Mesa Court, please go to http://www.housing.uci.edu/mc/map.asp. We'll study together what Martin Heidegger says about these issues in his article "Dwelling, Building,Thinking" - and you can be sure that you will have trouble understanding. The instructor hopes to be able to offer help. Dr. Schwab has been attracted by philosophers said to be deviant, and tried to make sense of their philosophies. His main fields of interest are 20th and 19th century European thought. The Spanish Language Worldwide Armin Schwegler, SPANISH M 4-4:50 pm, Middle Earth Housing Complex, Gandalf’s Classroom B Course Code 87515 NOTE: Professor Schwegler's seminar will be held in Middle Earth Housing. Please be aware that your travel time will be greater than 10 minutes if you are coming from Mesa Court or the School of the Arts. For a map of Middle Earth, please go to http://www.housing.uci.edu/me/map.asp. This course studies the history and contemporary usage of Spanish worldwide. Special emphasis is placed on Latin American dialect varieties (including Mexican, Cuban, Argentinean, Colombian, and USA Spanish). By taking this course students will gain a better appreciation for (1) how and why a once very marginal tongue has become one of the world's major languages, (2) the extent to which Spanish dialects differ today, and (3) how Spanish evolved from Roman times into what it is today. No prior knowledge of spoken or written Spanish required. Born in Switzerland and resident of the USA since 1975, Professor Schwegler has learned Spanish and about 10 other languages. His research on the Spanish language and its dialects have taken him to virtually every corner of Latin America (he often does field work in remote jungles in South America). The author of over 40 scholarly articles and several books, he is currently writing a monograph about PALO MONTE, an Afro-Cuban ritual language used in voodoo-like ceremonies. Prof. Schwegler has been a guest professor at several universities in Europe and the United States, and recently spent 2 years in Costa Rica as Director of UC's Education Abroad Program. In the fall of 2002, he taught at the University of Havana and did field work in Cuba for his new book. DONALD BREN SCHOOL OF INFORMATION AND COMPUTER SCIENCES Dude, Where’s My Computer? Nikil Dutt, COMPUTER SCIENCE F 11-11:50, DBH 3013 Course Code 87521 Okay, so this isn’t a take-off on the movie. But computers are increasingly “embedded” in the environment, becoming both invisible and ubiquitous. We already come into contact with hundreds of embedded computers in the course of a normal day, and even when we’re asleep! This seminar will expose you to the exciting field of embedded computing, give examples of such systems, and provide insights into the technical and social challenges we encounter when the computer, as we know it, “disappears”. Nikil Dutt is a Chancellor’s Professor at the University of California, Irvine. He joined UCI after receiving a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1989. Professor Dutt’s research interests are broadly in the area of embedded computer systems. He is a coauthor of five books and over 200 refereed publications. Professor Dutt’s research has been recognized by 6 Best Paper Awards at premier conferences in embedded systems. He has also received a number of departmental and campus awards for excellence in teaching at UC Irvine. Professor Dutt is a Fellow of the IEEE and an ACM Distinguished Scientist. Why are Manhole Covers Round? Cyber-Puzzlers and Other Interview Questions Michael Goodrich, COMPUTER SCIENCE M 11-11:50 am, 1422 Bren Hall Course Code 87506 Through in-class discussions and brain-storming sessions, this course will study cyber-puzzlers and brain teasers, which are often used during job interviews as a test of Mathematical and Computational thinking. Special attention will be paid to puzzlers that have a relationship to computer science topics. Problem solutions will need only high school mathematics and logic. Professor Goodrich studies the design of algorithms and data structures for solving large-scale problems motivated from information assurance and security, the Internet, information visualization, and geometric computing. He is director of the Center for Cyber-Security and Privacy. How You Can Protect Yourself from Cyber-Attacks Ian Harris, COMPUTER SCIENCE M 10-10:50 am, 1420 Bren Hall Course Code 87522 The goal of this seminar is to teach regular computer users how to protect their computers and data from attacks by computer hackers. With a little bit of knowledge about the nature of computer attacks, you can confound the vast majority of attackers without too much effort. We will introduce the most common attacks and describe how to recognize them and defend against them. Topics to be covered include the following: * Identity Theft and Phishing - How these attacks are executed * Malicious Software - Viruses, Worms and SpyWare * Anti-virus programs - How to use them and how they work * Firewalls - What do they do and how to set them up * Botnets and Rootkits- How to tell if your machine is "owned" Ian G. Harris is currently an Associate Professor in the Computer Science Department. He received his BS degree in Computer Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1990. He received his MS and PhD degrees in Computer Science from the University of California San Diego in 1992 and 1997 respectively. His research interests involve the security and testing of hardware and software systems. His current research projects include fuzzing of embedded software, and hardware/software covalidation. Quantum Computation Sandra Irani, COMPUTER SCIENCE F 11-11:50 am, 3032 Bren Hall Course Code 87524 As computational devices reach their limits in speed and size, computer scientists and physicists have turned to the question of whether we can build computers based on the principles of quantum mechanics. The laws governing the behavior of the physical world at the scale of electrons are fundamentally different than the classical, macroscopic world. Scientists believe that a computational device that exploits quantum mechanical phenomena will be able to perform complex computational tasks impossible with a classical computer. This seminar will explore the basis of quantum computation, as well as its potential and its limitations. No computer science or quantum mechanics background is required. Sandy Irani graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Princeton University in 1986. She completed her PhD in Computer Science at University of California, Berkeley in 1991 and the following year was a recipient of the University of California President's Postdoctoral Fellowship. In the Fall of 1992, she joined the faculty of University of California at Irvine where she is currently a full professor. Dr. Irani’s research has focused on the application of algorithm design and analysis to computing systems. Recently, she has been working in the area of Quantum Computation and Information. Robot Ethics Eric Mjolsness, COMPUTER SCIENCE Tu 9-9:50 am, ICS 225 Course Code 87511 Robots in many forms, from traditional manufacturing robots to smart vehicles to purely software agents such as web crawlers, are entering our lives at an increasing pace. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the study of how to program them. But when robots intersect with human beings, ethical issues can quickly arise. In such circumstances, how can we design robots to act ethically? What are the criteria for doing that? Will there come a time when robots have to be treated ethically too, and how will we know? We will approach such questions by studying the broadest outlines of both ethical philosophy and AI. Prof. Mjolsness led the Machine Learning Systems group at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory for several years, where he started projects in onboard autonomous robotic science. He currently does research and teaches in the areas of machine learning, modeling, and artificial intelligence applied to the sciences at UCI's Department of Computer Science and Institute for Genomics and Bioinformatics. He has a longstanding interest in ethical philosophy. SCHOOL OF PHYSICAL SCIENCES Energy and the Environment Patrick Farmer, CHEMISTRY M 2-2:50 pm, 4144 Natural Sciences 1 Course Code 87505 There are inherent problems and limitations in our nation’s almost exclusive use of petroleum-based fuels, including its limited supply and the buildup of atmospheric pollutants. Nuclear energy, while quite efficient, brings high societal costs in liabilities and waste containment; solar cells, while environmentally friendly, are inherently inefficient. The hydrogen fuel cell is being promoted as the energy of the future, but its technological feasibility is still being developed. This seminar will introduce the basic sciences behind energy, and the effect each has on the world around us. Professor Farmer is a chemist interested in redox processes in complex biological systems. He has two children, and like many of us, wonders what their life will be like fifty years from now. Why Hydrogen? Reginald Penner, CHEMISTRY M 3-3:50 pm, 1115 Natural Sciences 2 Course Code 87513 "The Hydrogen Economy". A lot has been written about it and many millions of dollars have been spent in pursuit of it, but we still fill up our cars with gasoline. Is hydrogen special? Where does it come from? Are there technological barriers to its broader use? What about the Hindenberg? We'll answer these and other questions in a seminar that focuses on the cool science underlying these issues. Prof. Penner was born on the Canadian plains and he has been diffusing south ever since. He grew up in Minnesota and attended Gustavus Adolphus College. He studied electrochemistry at Texas A&M University and received a Ph.D. in 1987. Then he postdoced at Stanford and Caltech before starting his faculty position at UCI in 1990. He is interested in all things nano, in running, and in paddling his surf ski. The Chemistry of Health and Disease Athan Shaka, CHEMISTRY F 12-12:50 pm, Mesa Court Housing Complex, Community Center Classroom Course Code 87516 NOTE: Professor Shaka’s seminar will be held in the Mesa Court Housing. Please be aware that your travel time will be greater than 10 minutes if you are coming from Central Campus. For a map of Mesa Court, please go to http://www.housing.uci.edu/mc/map.asp. We will explore some of the molecular mechanisms behind disease and aging. How can we best protect our health, especially with respect to chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease and autoimmune diseases? Moreover, what steps can we reasonably take to lead the most vigorous, productive, and satisfying life? The answers to these and related questions, at the level they are understood currently, will be presented. Professor Shaka received his B.S. from Harvey Mudd College, in Chemistry, and his Ph. D. from Oxford, in Physical Chemistry. He has been on the Faculty at UCI for 20 years and does research in biophysical chemistry. SCHOOL OF SOCIAL ECOLOGY Immigration, Youth, and Identity Susan Coutin, CRIMINOLOGY, LAW & SOCIETY M 2-2:50 pm, 2372 Social Ecology II Course Code 87504 This seminar introduces students to research regarding the children of immigrants and regarding individuals who immigrated to the United States when they were quite young. Common patterns have been observed regarding family issues, attitudes toward the parents' home country, and sense of identity within the United States. The seminar introduces students to these issues through academic readings, in-class discussions, excerpts from the instructor's own research regarding this topic, guest presentations, fiction (stories and/or film), and hopefully, a field trip. Susan Bibler Coutin is Associate Professor in the Department of Criminology, Law and Society. Trained as an anthropologist, she has studied immigration from Central America to the United States. She is the author of The Culture of Protest: Religious Activism and the U.S. Sanctuary Movement (Westview Press 1993), Legalizing Moves: Salvadoran Immigrants’ Sturggle for U.S. REsidency (University of Michigan Press 2000), and Nations of Emigrants: Shifting Boundaries of Citizenship in the United States and El Salvador (Cornell University Press 2007). Her current research examines the relationships that individuals who were born in El Salvador but who immigrated to the United States at young ages have forged with their countries of origin and residence. Crime and Justice in America Michael Gottfredson, CRIMINOLOGY, LAW & SOCIETY Th 4:00-4:50 pm, Aldrich Hall 501 Course Code 87537 In this seminar we will study the nature of crime in the U.S. and popular means used to control it. Topics will include homicide trends, terrorism, gun control and the use of prisons. Our focus will be on social scientific evidence. All majors welcome. Michael Gottfredson is a Professor of Criminology, Law and Society and Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost. Professor Gottfredson's research and teaching specialties are crime and the criminal justice system. He is the author of several books, including Personal Liberty and Community Safety (1995); The Generality of Deviance (1994); and A General Theory of Crime (1990). He has published numerous articles in the professional literature about the causes of crime and crime policy. He has frequently consulted with state, county and federal governments concerning criminal justice policy. Dr. Gottfredson has served as the Director of the Criminal Justice Research Center, a private not-for-profit corporation in New York, and on the board of directors for The Parent Connection in Tucson and for the Crime and Justice Research Center in Philadelphia. SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES Race and Gender Discrimination in Jobs and Everyday Life Matt Huffman, SOCIOOGY W 11-11:50 am, SSL 159 Course Code 87523 This seminar addresses discrimination by gender and race in the United States. In addition to discrimination in the context of paid employment, we will discuss other "everyday life" contexts such as buying a car or renting an apartment. We will also discuss how social scientists approach the study of race and sex discrimination. Matt Huffman is an Associate Professor of Sociology. His research examines race and gender inequality in organizations and labor markets. He has testified in Orange County Superior Court as an expert witness in cases involving sex discrimination allegations. Best Foot Forward Mary Louise Kean, COGNITIVE SCIENCES Tu 12-12:50 pm, Middle Earth Housing Complex, Whispering Wood Multipurpose Room Course Code 87526 NOTE: Professor Kean's seminar will be held in Middle Earth Housing. Please be aware that your travel time will be greater than 10 minutes if you are coming from Mesa Court or the School of the Arts. For a map of Middle Earth, please go to http://www.housing.uci.edu/me/map.asp. The focus of this seminar is on how to put one's best foot forward to make agood impression and to feel comfortable in a variety of social contexts. Mary Louise Kean grew up in an era where all women typically wore hats and gloves - not just the Queen of England. She has been a student of etiquette since childhood. She finds joy in good manners, humor in many conventions, and feels life is just much easier if people treat each other with respect and consideration. She politely teaches Psychology 9A and other courses. Her research is on bilingualism. Women of Color in Film Belinda Robnett, SOCIOLOGY Bi-Weekly Every other Tu 4-6:50, SSL 155 Course Code 87514 Note: Dr. Robnett’s seminar will meet weeks 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 of the quarter for longer sessions to allow class time for films. Movies provide viewers with powerful messages about women. In this course we will analyze the ways in which women of color are portrayed. What roles do Asian-American, African-American, and Latinas play in film? Does the media produce stereotypes? How are the roles of women in these groups changing? We will pay particular attention to issues of class and sexuality. Belinda Robnett is Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Irvine. Her research interests include racial and ethnic inequality, gender relations, and social movements. Her current projects examine interracial dating, and African American political engagement in the post-civil rights era. Biology and Society Kaushik Sunder Rajan, ANTHROPOLOGY Tu 2-2:50 pm, 1422 Bren Hall Course Code 87528 This course explores some of the ethical and societal issues surrounding new biotechnologies, while always being attentive to how these technologies get produced in various settings every day. Kaushik Sunder Rajan is Assistant Professor of Anthropology. He researches the global political economy of the life sciences, with an area focus on the United States and India. Fast Food Society: Life Under Golden Arches Judith Treas, SOCIOLOGY Tu 11-11:50 am, SSL 117 Course Code 87520 Americans spend more than a billion dollars on fast food each year. Launched in Southern California half a century ago, the fast food industry now stands for the best and worst of American civilization. Our seminar ponders how McDonald's pioneering principles of efficiency, predictability, and control have spread to religion, health care, and even higher education. Discover why Golden Arches cast such a long shadow over the lives of 3.5 million fast food workers, the health of consumers, and the cultures of the globe. Judith Treas is a Professor of Sociology. After earning her Ph.D. from UCLA, she taught at USC for 15 years before moving to UCI. Her classes deal with issues of family, inequality, gender, and research design. Professor Treas was the faculty founder of the campus Sociology House and has won the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentoring. She was recently elected President of the Pacific Sociological Association, the nation’s largest regional organization for sociologists. |
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| Freshman Seminar Program 256 Aldrich Hall Irvine, CA 92697-5675 Phone (949) 824-6987 Fax (949) 824-3469 A Division of Undergraduate Education Program © 2006-2008 The Regents of the University of California All Rights Reserved |
